FFC Natl Charter, which supports the military, postponed signing a joint declaration…. includes SLM-Minawi, JEM-Ibrahim, NUP, small groups who brought PM Hamdok to sign the agreement with coup leaders. NUP issued a statement rejecting the deal, re-called adherence to the joint stance of FFC. Groups disposed to sign: JEM, SLM-MM Republican Party, Haq Movement, United Fed Party, Centrist Gathering, Fed Natl Party, Baath of al-Hussein, Democratic Unionist Party. NUP pointed to the need to include Resistance Committees: Any efforts that do not include or address Resistance Committees will be isolated…reservations towards UNITAMS dialogue saying it may lead to internationalization of the process. In line with the Constitutional Declaration of 2019, DUP, part of the ousted regime, is not allowed to participate in the transition, like the Islamist Popular Congress Party…the military seek to involve them as potential allies against FFC mainstream. Sudan Tribune
Sudanese are not willing to accept military rule after 30 years of dictatorship, and al-Burhan must reconsider his ambition to rule. Communist Party and FFC see PM’s resignation as a victory for revolutionaries, a direct result of the coup. The resignation ends the Nov agreement between PM and al-Burhan. The largest national party says the resignation is the failure to justify the agenda to seize power by brute force. Al-Burhan headed the RSF in Darfur, and oversaw Sudanese forces participating in Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Dabanga
Activists say 2022 will be a year of continuation of resistance: As much as we sacrifice and die, we won’t be ruled by the boot. No Negotiations, No Partnership, No Bargaining. Resistance Committees called the public to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations. Hundreds of thousands around the country, demanding full civilian rule and overthrow of the junta, chanted: Al Burhan you may close streets & bridges but here we come! Return the military to the barracks. PM Hamdok resigned after protestors were killed in Khartoum. PM was fed up when al-Burhan gave the feared Gen Intelligence Svc power to arrest civilians and immunity from lawsuits for officers and officials, reminiscent of al-Bashir’s National Intelligence & Security Svcs with power to arrest, torture and kill political opponents. US, UK, Norway, EU threatened to withhold financial assistance. Saudi Arabia, UAE, US, UK calling for restoring civilian-led transitional government. Cairo refused to condemn the coup and reassured the military of Egypt’s support. Sudan Tribune
January 1, 2022 was Sudan’s 66th anniversary of independence, but the military had control for 6 decades. Sudan was a model of hope after the 2019 revolution that overthrew dictatorship of al-Bashir who ruled with an iron fist 30 years. He was indicted by ICC for war crimes in Darfur and awaits trial in high-security prison. Al-Bashir’s regime leased large parcels of land to foreign countries for export crop, forcing populations from land and depleting water supplies. Devaluation of Sudan Pound, 400% inflation driven by very high increases in communication, transportation, food. Many depend on emergency food assistance and struggle with poverty, shortages of medicine, power cuts. Staple food prices 50-60% above 5 year average. 2011 secession of South Sudan after decades of war was a major blow to the economy, taking away half Sudan’s public revenues, 95% of exports.
Military takeovers in Africa returned to the highest level in 40 years, within a permissive international environment. At the opening of the 21st C military coups decreased to 2 per year, until 2019. Sudan Tribune
Sudanese Professionals Assoc, FFC and Resistance Committees were the backbone of the 2019 uprising, insisting a civilian government lead the transition towards elections. Since the start of the movement 2018, hundreds have been killed and thousands injured. PM Hamdok and Transitional Authorities oversaw the financial crisis that led to the protests. Hamdok lobbied to remove Sudan from US list of state sponsors of terror, convinced financial institutions to provide debt relief and economic aid, signed a peace deal with rebel groups to end conflicts, criminalised female genital mutilation. Transitional Authorities repealed an abusive public order law, removed death penalty and lashing as punishments for same-sex conduct and other offenses, abolished apostasy punishments. Al Jazeera
PM was reinstated, signing a power-sharing agreement with military leaders who deposed him. He was accused of allowing the military to continue domination of the pro-democracy movement. During the coup women in the streets were holding each other and crying in disbelief that they were back in the same place, again, fighting for their democracy again, something they had just done: We’ve done this before, we can do it again. We have nothing to lose. People are tired, angry, ready to die if that’s what it takes. They anticipated the military would escalate repression to provoke street violence to portray the movement as a bunch of young angry men who are a threat to national security. When al Burhan dissolved the Transitional Govt Oct 2021 and declared a State of Emergency it was seen as reestablishment of al Bashir’s regime. The cost of the coup to economic recovery is devastating. The coup undid a majority of reforms, halted economic progress, suspended financial assistance from the international community. WB and IMF withdrew $950m in Nov/Dec, $1.8b in 2022; US withheld $700m in direct assistance; AU suspended Sudan’s membership immediately; France freezes $14b debt relief until there is progress on political negotiations. Al Jazeera